The TOD Questionnaire (Techniques for Overcoming Depression) is used to assess the frequency with which patients being treated for depression use cognitive behavioural techniques in daily life. A study led by IBTN Core member Dr. K.E. Freedland (Washington University School of Medicine) published earlier this year in Cognitive Therapy and Research examined the questionnaire’s latent structure, reliability, and concurrent validity in depressed cardiac patients. Mokken scaling was used to determine its dimensionality.

The study revealed that the TOD was unidimensional, sensitive to change, and that the total score correlates with therapist ratings of the patient in relation to CBT socialization, homework adherence, and use of CB techniques. The authors suggest that other TOD studies are needed in different depressed patient populations.